Re: Directing Debian users to use project BTSes - should we?
Users of Debian packages should be encouraged to file bug reports with the
BTS directly unless they can be absolutely sure it is an upstream bug. How
many of those users have the time and expertise to read/grep thousands of
lines of source code and make such a decision?
The problem is that the Debian maintainer is often overworked slaving over
a hot computer and just can't deal with the administrative chores. Someone
needs to examine the incoming bug reports and direct them to the Debian
maintainer, the upstream author, etc. as appropriate. Debian needs to
"hire" administrative assistants so the quality geek time is not wasted.
I think that Debian has more opportunity to deal with this than any
commercial entity since the workers are unpaid. Just start a recruiting
drive to get more people who will help with some of the non-programming
chores. At the current salary rates Debian can afford to hire at least 10
times as many people as Microsoft.
On Sat, 3 Feb 2001, Chris Lawrence wrote:
> Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 19:45:00 -0600
> From: Chris Lawrence <lawrencc@debian.org>
> To: Debian-Policy List <debian-policy@lists.debian.org>
> Subject: Directing Debian users to use project BTSes - should we?
> Resent-Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 20:45:17 -0500
> Resent-From: debian-policy@lists.debian.org
>
> I just saw something like this in a control file:
>
> XXX has its own BTS at http://XXX/. If you find an upstream problem
> (not packaging problem!!), please use it instead of Debian BTS.
>
> I've been seeing a few of these in packages lately (sometimes in
> README.Debian). However, it seems like maintainers should be the
> front line of support for Debian users, regardless of whether it's an
> "upstream" or packaging problem. I guess if it's entirely obvious
> it's an upstream problem, and the end user knows how to properly
> report the problem, it may not be an issue (indeed, I directly
> reported a wishlist item in Konqueror today to the KDE folks, though I
> probably wouldn't have if I had to go to a lot more hassle than typing
> 'reportbug -b kde konqueror'). But unless the current Debian package
> is in sync with upstream (which it usually won't be in stable) I can
> see a lot of already-fixed-in-their-version bugs getting dumped on
> upstream developers.
>
> Anyway, I was wondering if this is something we want to discourage in
> policy, or if I'm just not thinking the same way as most maintainers
> (i.e. my premises are flawed).
>
>
> Chris
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
+ Paul Wade Greenbush Technologies Corporation +
+ mailto:paulwade@greenbush.com http://www.greenbush.com/ +
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
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